"They are unique works of art and a symbol of Calabria," said Calabrian Governor Roberto Occhiuto.

A marathon of events embracing visual art, cinema and more, along with exhibits and debates with a dedicated website, will commemorate Calabria's heritage until 2023 as part of the anniversary celebrations.

The celebration, "with all the power of art history, heroes, warriors and legends," is called Bronzi50, 1972-2022.

The two statues recently became candidates to join UNESCO's heritage. Their perfection - whose origins and initial discovery are still in part shrouded in mystery - have become a symbol of Magna Grecia (Greater Greece), Calabria and the Mediterranean.

The aforementioned events will have the primary objective of promoting Calabria, running from July to September, October to December and throughout 2023 to ensure that the region’s splendour is spread across Italy and the world.

"The Riace Bronzes are an investment and a challenge for our country", Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said in Rome, during the presentation of celebrations."They are a unique attraction; they must become a symbol of Italy".

The events scheduled include Cubo Stage - an art installation of a cube comprised of videos, as well as a virtual exhibit on Magna Grecia with audiovisual and augmented reality and the docufilm "I Bronzi di Riace", produced by Palomar and directed by Fabio Mollo.

On Tuesday's anniversary of the discovery the two warriors with their helms, shields and spears, typical weapons of the mid-fifth century BC, the two figures were at the centre of the celebrations in Reggio Calabria, with video installations covering the façade of the archaeological museum (where the statues are kept) and on Corso Garibaldi.

The entire schedule of initiatives dedicated to the Riace Bronzes and Magna Grecia is available to browse on the website (Official hashtag #bronzi50).

 Regional authorities have allowed the famed bronzes to tour the country just once, in 1981, to sold-out venues in Rome, Venice, and Milan, a tour in which the statues were seen by over one million people in total.

A drive to send them to Dubai for the 2020 Expo world's fair, which was held due to the COVID pandemic from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, eventually failed.

The bronzes had spent four years stuck behind bureaucratic red tape awaiting restoration, and were finally returned for public display at Reggio Calabria's national archaeological museum in December 2013. Calabria has historically kept a tight grip on the much-loved statues since their discovery by a diver in 1972.

The exceedingly rare bronzes stand two metres tall and are an exceptionally realistic rendering of warriors or gods. Both are naked, with silver lashes and teeth, copper red lips and eyes made of ivory, limestone, and a glass and amber paste- striking artefacts and apt symbols for the beauty of Calabria.